NEWS

Researchers in Japan may have found a way to produce cheaper drugs that could be used to treat a range of diseases from chicken eggs.
They have successfully genetically modified hens to produce eggs containing large amounts of interferon beta protein, a protein used to treat various illnesses, including multiple sclerosis and cancer.
The protein is very expensive, costing between $300-$1000 for just one microgram, according to pharmaceutical company, Cosmo Bio who co-led the research.
For treating MS, for example, the interferon dosage can start at 30 micrograms and increase from there.
The research was jointly conducted by scientists from the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), the National Agriculture and Food Research Organization and Cosmo...

The World Health Organisation, WHO, yesterday stated its commitment to support Nigeria to immunise 873,837 people against yellow fever in Kwara and Kogi states.
According to the WHO Nigeria Representative, Dr. Wondimagegnehu Alemu, the 10-day campaign, which began on October 13, targets residents, aged nine months to 45 years old.
Dr. Alemu said: “This campaign aims to ensure that people living in high-risk areas are protected from yellow fever. “We have mobilised more than 200 health workers and volunteers to ensure success of the exercises.”
He disclosed that WHO had been working with health authorities on its implementation in nine local government areas in Kwara State and two in Kogi State.
He said: “Nigeria has requested support from the International Coordination Group , I

The Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole, on Wednesday urged Nigerians to patronise only accredited health institutions in order not to fall prey to those harvesting kidneys illegally in some countries.
Adewole made the call while answering questions from State House correspondents at the end of the meeting of the Federal Executive Council presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
He said his ministry’s recent warning on the matter was based on the periodical information it got from relevant government agencies.
He expressed the belief that once the country rebuilt its health infrastructure, Nigerians would be spared the agony of falling victims of some of the illegal practices.
Adewole said, “With respect to the harvest of organs, we rece

About nine persons have been allegedly hospitalised as the dreaded monkeypox disease hit Delta State.
Sources told our correspondent on Thursday that six of the affected persons were from Agbor, where the state governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, hails from.
A doctor at the Federal Medical Centre Asaba, who confirmed the development to The PUNCH said the remaining victims were from around the state capital.
It was gathered that the victims were diagnosed of the disease on Wednesday, adding that their blood samples have been collected for tests.
The State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Nicholas Azinge denied the outbreak of the disease in the state.
In a short message to our correspondent, Azinge said, “Not true! There is no case of monkeypox in Agbor ,not even any patient with a high

Anambra State Government has announced free child delivery services for pregnant women in every government hospital in the state.
The state governor, Willie Obiano who made the disclosure in Awka, explained that the free medical services would also include post and antenatal care.
He said the gesture was to enable some women, particularly the indigent ones, have access to medical attention during pregnancy.
"Some do not have money to go for antenatal and postnatal, thereby endangering their lives. What we are doing is to ensure adequate medical attention for women to reduce maternal mortality rate,’’ he said.
Obiano pledged his administration's resolve to continue to drive the vision of providing necessary infrastructure and welfare to the people.
According to him, 63 healthcare c

The Monkey pox virus outbreak has spread to 11 states with 74 suspected cases recorded, Minister of Health Prof. Isaac Adewole has said.
Adewole made the disclosure in Abuja on Wednesday when he briefed State House correspondents on the outcome of the meeting of the Federal Executive Council (FEC).
President Muhammadu Buhari chaired the meeting held at the State House Council Chamber, Abuja.
The Federal Government, on Oct. 11 confirmed that 33 suspected cases of the virus were recorded in seven states.
Monkeypox is a rare viral zoonosis (a virus transmitted to humans from animals) with symptoms in humans similar to those seen in the past in smallpox patients, although less severe.
Smallpox was eradicated in 1980. However, monkeypox still occurs sporadically in some parts of ...

Seventy-four days into the industrial action called by the Association of Resident Doctors, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, LAUTECH, Teaching Hospital Ogbomoso, the aggrieved doctors have accused the management of the hospital of insincerity following their failure to resolve the crisis. Meanwhile, the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, LAUTECH, has suspended its four months strike. The doctors also alleged that they are being paid only 28 percent of their salaries since January 2016.
In a press statement made available to Vanguard and jointly signed by the President, Dr. Sebastine Oiwoh and the Secretary, Dr Ayobami Alabi, they alleged that their members are being owed 12 months-old salaries. Lamenting continuous government’s relentless claims of leakages, the duo sa

The Paediatric Association of Nigeria (PAN) has urged its Members to Reinforce Immunisation Messages and reassure caregivers of vaccine safety
In a post on its website, the secretary of the association reacted to the anti-immunisation rumours making the rounds across the country.
She wrote: You may have heard of anti immunisation rumours making rounds in both the mainstream and social media. First, it started in the south-east, where it was claimed that the military was injecting children with monkey pox virus.. While we believe these are unfounded rumours, It's very concerning to PAN that it is spreading across the country and has potentials to reverse our child survival gains. Already, increase in vaccine hesitancy is being reported in some parts of the country.
PAN is therefore,...

The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III, has warned politicians, religious and communities leaders, to desist from politicising security and health related issues in the country. The Sultan gave the advice during the official flag off of the third quarter polio routine immunization, yesterday in Lafia, the Nasarawa State capital.
Sultan Sa’ad, who was the special guest at the elaborate occasion, lamented that health and security issues does not discriminate on tribal or religious affiliation.
According to him “We decided to join in the fight to eradicate polio and other communicable diseases because of its devastating effects on our society.”
The Sultan,who also warned rumour peddlers that polio vaccines is contaminated, described such rumours as a deliberate effort to tarni

Parents on Tuesday stormed many public and private primary schools, as well as secondary schools in Ondo State to withdraw their children.
Their actions were said to have been caused by the information that military men wanted to allegedly inject the pupils with poisonous vaccines.
It was gathered that the military had wanted to set up a medical outreach in Owo, in the Owo Local Government Area.
But the parents in the town were said to have stopped their children from going to school in order to evade the exercise.
At some of the schools visited by our correspondents, some parents almost engaged the teachers in fisticuffs when the latter refused to release the children.
The gates of some schools were broken by anxious parents, who forcefully took their children home.
A pare...

The Nigerian Army has denied rumours making the rounds that its personnel embarked upon forceful vaccination of students with an unknown substance in parts of Rivers State.
This is as All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State accused Governor Ezebunwo Nyesom Wike of being behind the rumour of Nigerian Army vaccine in schools in order to intimidate and demoralise security agencies in the state.
The Nigerian Army, in a statement issued in Port Harcourt yesterday by the deputy director, Army Public Relations, 6 Division, Colonel Aminu Illiasu, said the rumour was spread by enemies of the country.
The statement reads, “The attention of Headquarters 6 Division HQ Nigerian Army has been drawn to some rumours making the rounds that some Nigerian Army Personnel are going round schoo

In recent years botox, also known in medical jargon as botulinum toxin, is yet another of the newer treatments centred primarily on cosmetics. It has become popular with celebrities wanting to achieve that "plastic" look. It is the fastest growing cosmetic treatment, each year, with millions of doses injected into the faces of men and women the world over. Nigeria is no exception to these cosmetic trends as there are spas and stores that provide botox injections for clients in the country.
Botulinum toxin has been known for over a century and used for medical purposes for more than 50 years. Botox is best known as a wrinkle remover but it is also used to treat cervical dystonia, also called spasmodic torticollis - which is a painful knotting of neck muscles. Botox injections have been det...

With the usage of electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) on the rise, the amount of electrical and electronic waste (e-waste) produced each day has been on a steady rise around the world. In the last one decade Nigeria has seen a significant growth in ICT, the adaptation of computer technology, as well as a vast range of cyber-related activities in our everyday affairs. Thus almost every aspect of human activities today, especially relating to modern business and entertainment – telecommunications, electronic media, and even home equipment, etc. have all been tied to the use of electronic and computer technology.
In the wake of all these, comes the new wave and syndrome of electronic waste materials or E-waste. It is indeed a burden – even a health challenge according to health experts

The Family of the suicide victim, identified as Perekebina Biu, has cried foul over the reported his death after few days of being quarantined due to the infectious disease known as Monkey pox.
Late Perekeme Biu, a father of three was confirmed dead after he was found hanging from a rope at the Niger Delta University Teaching Hospital, Okolobiri in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State.
Journalist gathered yesterday that late Pere, was until his death the Treasurer of the Agbere Youth body and married with three children.
His father hails from Patani in Delta state while mother is from Agbere community in Sagbama Local Government Area of Bayelsa state.
According to the family, the deceased was already recovering from the Monkeypox disease he contacted in Yenagoa before this sad incident.
Fam...

How your armpits smell - and what you do about it - interacts with the same system of microbes in your gut that protects you from pathogens. Just like in your gut, a diverse community is living under your armpit, and your deodorant and antiperspirant may be changing more than your smell.
The microbes under our arms, on our skin, and in our guts and saliva play an important in protecting us from other microorganisms that don't belong in our bodies.
A growing body of research shows just how important maintaining the microbiota under your arms and in this entire system is to protecting your overall health.
Recent research has shown that preventing body odor can significantly, and quickly, alter that microbiome.
Everyone has a unique microbiome that fluctuates with our environments...